242 BRITISH AMERICA.

become sailors. The French vessels are principally fitted out at the ports of St Malves, Bourdeaux, Brest, Marseilles, &c. Many small shallops also cross from France to the fishery station of St Pierre.

Some of the French ships make two voyages to the banks of Newfoundland, carrying the fish back to France to be cured. Others make one voyage to the banks, and when they complete a cargo, proceed with it to St Pierre, 011 the coast of Newfoundland, Where they cure the fish. The principal part of the crews are, in the meantime, employed fishing along the shores in boats; and the fish caught by them makes up the deficiency, in weight and bulk, occasioned by drying the cargo caught on the banks. Sometimes these ships, if their cargoes are not com- plete, stop, on their return from the coast, to catch fish on the banks, which they carry in a wet, or green state to France.

In ceding to France the right of fishing on the shores of Newfoundland from Cape John to Cape Bay, with the islands of St Pierre and Miquelon, we gave that ambitious nation all the means that her government desired for manning a navy , and £319 were determined to lay a train of circumstances, which, by their operation, should sap the very Vitals of our naval strength, we could not more effectually

have done so, than by granting afull participation of those fisheries to Fiance and America.

The former power immediately availed itself of the advantages acquired, agreeably to the policy

acted on at all times by the French. Bounties were,